Longitudinal imaging to predict bone fracture healing using light-based tech
Official title: Longitudinal monitoring of bone fracture healing using diffuse optical and correlation tomography
Funded at University of Rochester · NIH-11449366 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to use safe light-based imaging over time to see how healing bones in people with fractures progress and whether early signals predict problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2017 |
| Project end | July 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $602,045 |
| NIH project number | 2R01AR071363-06A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11449366 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with acute skeletal fractures who are at risk for impaired healing may be eligible.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with straightforward, quickly healing fractures may not gain direct benefit beyond standard care.
What this research studies
This project tests whether diffuse optical tomography (DOT) and correlation tomography (DCT) can track blood flow and oxygenation around a broken bone over weeks to months. By repeatedly imaging patients with fractures, researchers hope to spot patterns that indicate delayed healing early on. The approach focuses on non-invasive, low-cost imaging that could be used in clinical care to guide treatment decisions. The study is anchored at the University of Rochester and led by Regine Choe, focusing on translating imaging findings from research to patient-friendly care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, doctors could detect impaired healing earlier and adjust treatment to prevent disability.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work supports non-invasive imaging of tissue perfusion, but applying DOT/DCT to predict bone healing is a novel extension.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Rochester
Rochester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Choe, Regine — University of Rochester
- Study coordinator: Choe, Regine
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.